Daily Republican., 1887-03-29
xaE ciry's ElsAncEs.

e@-----
A special Meeting OF City Council ~
Evening to Take Action ON y lcf
money 20 Run tho City for -
xhres Monshs-A Loan spon.
A special meeting of ,J Council
was held last evening, and In lhe Ab-
senoB of President Rekel, Mr.. Moore
was, on motion Of Mrs Vaerrls Tay lor,
called co the cnAir. Immediately after
the roll vas called the call for the meet
ing was read, stating that IL was for
the purpose " taking some action on
the embarrassed condition Of tho oiiy's
nnAnceo.
Mr.. Merris Taylor started the ball
rolling by saying that Council was oer
aud something must be done at once or
the municipal chop would have to be
shut up until after July lat. He then
called upon the City Auditor to mako
. statement.
City Auditor Ball said that he wac
not prepared to make an accurate state
men., ~ that could not be gotten read ,
before Thursday night. by which time
Q full abatement would be prepared
showing All the money received during
the year and how it had been expt nded.
But rs there are siukiog fund bonds
and other things that tnuss be provided
for, somsthinR would have to be done
st once, for II they were not paid the
word would 90 out all over the country
that the city was bankrupt He sAi0
that there ~ about 6l6. 600 uncollected
tax in the Northern district and about
$4,000 In the Southern districs for the
ytars 1SS6S7, which could probably be
collected by July /. but sll the other
revenues added 10 this will not DO % "a
cient to meet the amounts falling due
bet nov and June 30, the end OF
the present fscal year.
There will BE- o dehcier cy OF At least
$50, 600, and he thought this amount
could be borrowed, and repaid within
three years, at $50, 900 year. The real
urgency Of the matter, 10 70 provide for
the sinking fund bonds. which will fall
due and must DO paid.
Mr.. Barney inquired what amount Il
taxes had been collected during the
year, when City Auditor Ball read q
state ment, showing that in the North.
ern district there had been collected for
1886 snd 1887, Sill 4l3 70; for 1856. e12,-
z4l, md 'r 1884, S90l, masking q total
OF $is4, 7b5.73. In tho Southern district,
for 1885 and 1887, $1a3 s67 IA; Tor 1885,
I'll, 525 an for 1884, %. 925, making q
total OF S159. .3l7.14 or $s44,07 " foi
the entire city. The appropriations fol
the preSspt year wero based on o reve.
nue. OF S379 437 40, bat no allowance
Was made for rebates, which this yeal
had amounted 10 SIS, 4S6 80,
Mr.. MeTris Taylor said that there
had been considerable said by somt
people about the tax collectors beinG
remiss In their duties, consequently hs
was surprised to learn that the amount
uncollected is but $4,000. To collect
this amount at once would bring trou
BILE and distress on many worthy people
and he was opposed TO doing that. Th,
entire trouble is caused by the las
Council making appropriations beyond
their revenue, and now the presen
Council has TO either create loan, Ol
default In the payment OF Its bonds
He was in favor of making 3 shor
time loan, and paying it out OF mex
years appropriation, even If there wa
not dollar left for pavlps streets. H.
had been irfor med by ofticSrs OF th
Union National Bank that thsy woult
loan the city $50, ,0C0 without interes
unit, August 1st, and he novtd that tn
City Solicitor bs instr ucted TO draw Al
act to be presented to tho Legislatur
empowering Council to negotiate tn
loan.
Mr.. Chambers said that az the oit
must have money he WAS in favor O
| the motion, and then gave q statemen
showing the amount of rebates whic
had been allowed during the yeaz.
Mr.. Miller thought 1t would be- we
for this matter TO be fully stated 80 ths
the citizens could see that the pre5e L
Council III not to blame, and that wha
lever fault there might be was with th
lchairma of the last FiuanCe Commi
tee in making the tax rate 81 20 iustea
IOf 81 as The difference In thes
amounts Is now in the tax x.payers hand
and they have had the advantage OF th
low tax rate for the year. II tho ia
LOT 81 45 bad been maintained on an q
tsessment of $40. .000, GOO worth OF pro-
5erty there would not have been IT,
Ishortage.
| Mr.. Baynard defended the last Z
nance Committee, and said the tronb
was caused by their not being able
Iget the sssessors' books In time to NAL
On accurate calculation. The bool
were notp put In the committee's han.
until the very evening when they we
Obliged to make their report, TO Cou
lcil, and any one could tell how mut
time they had to sum up all those d
lures.
Mr. Norton said that he wanted Il
speople To know that this Council ba
not expended the 100000 which the
are nov compelled TO borrow. TT
money is needed for the purpose
Injecting the deficiency in the appr
priations mado by the last Finan
Committee. 1t looked very much
him as though there is very big &C
ored man In the wood pile, for If,
atated, the Finance Committee oou
not get the assessors' books In time,
thought thty were held back for p
ittcsl purposes, and to place odium
tie present Council so that the Do, ii
who did 1t would be able to make 1
opening for some one to slide In
ICouncil. tr
Tnis matter o1bled him 80 rnu,
that he had not been able to sleep
nights. He thought the present dif
culty was caused by the mistake
4 mteJudgment Of the late chairman
tne FINANCE Committee, End be hop
tne press would let the people kno
Iexsctly where the blame lies,
The discussion WAS continued I
some time, and participated In
Messre. Merris Taylor, Barney 81
Cnam nera, who all agreed that II W
sosoiuteiy necessary fer Council
J lay.
Mr.. Bayusrd said that he was me,
Der Of the present Finance Commit
ana nnd attended every meeting OF th
committte or which he had been no
ued, Dut at none OF these meetinae b